Tokyo Trains Delayed, Traffic Slowed as Snowfall Hits City

By Jacob Adelman -
Feb 5, 2013

Tokyo trains were delayed and
expressway traffic slowed as snow started falling in the
Japanese capital, with 5 centimeters (2 inches) forecast by
tomorrow morning.

Rains that began overnight were expected to change to heavy
snow today, the Japan Meteorological Agency said on its website.
About 5 centimeters is expected to fall in the city by 6 a.m.
local time tomorrow, according to the agency, which warned of
icy roads and snow accumulation on tree limbs and power lines.

Some expressways reduced speed limits to 50 kilometers an
hour (30 miles an hour) from 80 kilometers an hour, NHK
television reported.

Tokyo’s first snowfall on Jan. 14 brought seven centimeters
of snow, prompting Japan Airlines Co. (9201) and All Nippon Airways Co. (9202)
to cancel hundreds of domestic flights. More than 100,000
passengers were affected, the airlines said. The snowfall closed
highways, including one running through Tokyo’s Shinjuku
district, and brought traffic in many parts of the city to a
crawl.